Decorating street lamps as ghosts might be inappropriate

Related Stories

There seems to be a growing inability to respect opinions that stand in contrast to one’s own.

Halloween is an event that is anticipated with much excitement for many families, but there are others who are concerned about various themes and images that have grown in popularity in recent years: ghouls and zombies, dead brides, bloody chainsaws, yards looking like graveyards, and dismembered body parts hanging as decorations from trees. And not just for Halloween, but now for most of October.

For many people this is all in fun, but many others prefer to keep such elements out of the imaginations of children.

Decorating street lamps as ghosts – as one letter writer discussed – does lack the bloody elements of other decorations, but the writer does not seem to appreciate that some citizens might just prefer to not have such decorations. Street lamps are public property and this was likely a factor in the situation. That it would be OK to decorate the street lamps with ghosts was likely a presumption on the part of the decorator.

“Everyone seemed to love them” is the writer’s evaluation, based on seeing children delighted and adults taking photos. What would not be so apparent are those who do not appreciate such decorations.

It is worth noting that these decorations have been set up for several years already without complaint. This could mean that no persons were bothered by the decorations, but it could also be that some who were bothered graciously tolerated them, but decided this year to ask for their removal.

The letter writer concluded with a statement that she and her friends “are offended that [the complainant] has such a small mind”. Have we lost the ability to empathize with people who do not share our own values?

Many people think that anticipating Halloween by decorating property with ghosts (or other characters) is fun and harmless, and Canada is a great country that allows such activities. But let’s not be so quick to judge neighbours who do not share our values and let’s refrain from condemning as having “small minds” those who think differently than we do.